Sarkozy attacks judges for laxity; ahead in the polls

Nicolas Sarkozy has provoked another huge uproar (provoqué un tollé) in France. A few days ago, after his "controversial trip to the United States" to meet George W. Bush, he remarked that the judges in Seine-Saint-Denis, at the notorious tribunal of Bobigny northeast of Paris, were "laxiste" and had "given up."

Seine-Saint-Denis (pronounced by most people as Senn-sand-nee), a suburb just north of Paris on the way to the airport,  is the notorious neuf-trois (93), the number of the département, seen most often on license plates of cars from there. "Neuf-trois" is often used as a pejorative, and has been contrariwise taken up by the locals as a défi, much like the word "Yankee." Much of the département is poor, and parts of it are said to be zones de non-droit [zones of no-law] and the fief of Islamists, drug lords and petty thieves.

The delinquency in Seine-Saint-Denis has become so bad that in June the Prefect, the highest official in the département, wrote a desperate secret letter pleading for help to Nicolas Sarkozy, the Minister of the Interior. The letter was recently made public and that is when Sarkozy made his remarks.

The judges in Bobigny are furious. They say they have one of the most difficult jobs in France and receive no support. The highest judge in France*, in an unusual move, denounced Sarkozy's statement publicly and requested a special meeting with President Chirac to discuss it. The opposition rushed to denounce it. Jack Lang said that Sarkozy should "resign immediately." Ségolène Royal said that the remarks were unworthy of a statesman.

Sarkozy declared this morning that he cares only for le jugement des Français. His strategy seems to be working: according to a poll commissioned by France-5 television, to be published tomorrow, he is currently at the head of the list in the presidential race for 2007, with 29.5% of the preference. Ségolène Royal came in second at 24% and Jean-Marie LePen of the Front National was third at 11%.

"He says out loud what everyone thinks silently," said a radio announcer this morning.

*Guy Canivet, premier président de la Cour de cassation [seen in the cartoon--courtesy Placide-- in royal robes, crying that Sarkozy called him names**; Sarkozy looks through the window, as Chirac says, "Oh, the naughty boy, to say that to judges who have been so nice to me!" The headline says, "Insecurity grows for judges too."]

**Actually it says, "Hit me with the Kärcher too!" Kärcher is a brand of high-pressure cleaning equipment, like a fire-hose. Last year during the November riots in the suburbs, Sarkozy said that the racaille [scum] should be cleaned out with a Kärcher.

Comments

[nardac]

Jeez... isn't that scary. Sarko is the voicebox for the Republique's private thoughts. Eeks! Are the masses that simplistic in thought? Who knows? It is troubling, though, that there is so little help for the areas which most need it. I just received a circular from the Mayor of Paris talking about all the great new projects he has in store for the Paris within the Periph. Momentarily jubilant, it made me realize how much money goes into Paris within the Periph, and how much goes to the suburbs.

[Jennifer]

Hmmph. Bobigny could be said to be "laxiste", but when you have too many cases and not enough judges, Sarko's comments are 'stupides'.

[LA Frog]

Sarko is using the "wag the dog" technique, i.e. movig the real debate, which is that his record is not as good as his image-makers pretend it is. Of all the promises he made at the time of the riots last year, none were kept. Nothing has been done -- except for pressure on a police force that doesn't have the means to do its job properly (hence the "dérives").

Same with the judges: they have neither the resources nor the legislation to do their work. The legislation must be adapted, and he problem with underage deliquants needs to be tackled at its root, which means prevention (not just repression). Which means: much needed (and promised) investment in appropriate resources (financial and social) -- on the ground, and in law enforcement.

The "banlieue" is only waiting to implode again. The more French leaders ignore the problem, the more it will snow-ball.